Realistic Launch Vehicles: Is It Possible?

[Deshooter135]

Hello everyone, I am new, but I have noticed something disappointing about water rockets; they are very unrealistic. I was wondering if anyone out there has created a successful water rocket that looks somewhat like a real rocket. Bonus to anyone who know of one that looks like a soyuz! Also, if possible, I would like some photos of said water rocket.

[Tony]

The thing about water rockets, they look like water rockets. They are real, and look like real water rockets. I doubt many hobbyist, who make their rockets out of recycled materials (that most people call trash), would go to the time and expense of creating a mock "real" rocket knowing there is always a potential of having it smash to the ground and disintegrating into a thousand pieces. Well, I know I certainly wouldn't. Crashing them is half the fun. It is far more common to see this type of thing in the Solid Fuel Rocket community. I have never seen a water rocket look like a real NASA type solid fuel rocket.

That being said, I'd like to see one, and I hope someone in this forum can post some pictures and videos of their creations. If not, maybe you could be the first and start a whole new trend.

[Nick B]

It can be done. Nobody bothers. Different extensions of hobby enthusiasts.

OTC power groups have manufactured Redstone and Apollo one for example, that are plug n play, but fly very low and are designed for kids, and custom powder groups are interested in certified high altitude flights like the Qu8ke.

There are certainly more limitations to water rockets, like weight and simple compact recovery mechanisms, but there are no real reasons why a hobbyist cannot build and detail out a water rocket if he wishes, anymore that a hobbyist that may wish to design, build, and detail,/weather out a cardboard tube into a rocket never meant for flight. It all depends on what you want, can afford to do, and how much you assert yourself. Most water rocketeers are driven by peers/trend, and time and expense for height of flight. It's mostly a young entry level hobby. If most here had six figure incomes they would prolly be competing in the Camarak Prize or going to Balls in Arizona, launching Q motors for fun.

Any water rocket hobbyist can fab up a realistic launch pad and rocket/rockets if they want to and push for it.

[Blenderite]

I have seriously considered making a hyper-realistic rocket, but so far, I have not yet started even designing one yet. I have not found a particular rocket that I would like to replicate.

As for making a Soyuz, it seems as though it would be rather difficult to replicate the engine configuration.

-DogLover

[air.command]

Hello everyone, I am new, but I have noticed something disappointing about water rockets; they are very unrealistic. I was wondering if anyone out there has created a successful water rocket that looks somewhat like a real rocket. Bonus to anyone who know of one that looks like a soyuz! Also, if possible, I would like some photos of said water rocket.

They are not that common, but some have made great looking ones:

Here is a Saturn 5 from France:
[youtube][/youtube]
Here is an Ariane V
http://fuzeao.free.fr/fus_exemple_ariane.htm
A space shuttle:
[youtube][/youtube]
An RC shuttle like plane:
[youtube][/youtube]
I have also seen a really nice SpaceShipOne version

I guess it all comes down to how much effort you want to put in your design.

- George

[Tony]

Awesome post, George!!

[bugwubber]

Funny you should mention that. We are currently working up a '"heavy lift" type rocket similar to the SLS or Falcon Heavy. Not promising extreme scale detail but it should at least resemble it.

[air.command]

Another thing to consider when building scale replicas of the real thing is that real rockets are typically designed to be actively stabilized usually by steering their nozzles, but for water rockets you need to modify the design to be passively stable which usually involves either bigger fins, changing the length and/or a heavier nosecone. I guess that's part of the fun of building a replica - making it fly properly. Pyro rocket guys have similar problems when building scale versions.

- George

[Blenderite]

I would think that a realistic looking rocket would be fairly easy if you are talking about one like the Saturn 5. I would simply take some foam board ($1 at Dollar Tree) and remove the paper from both sides. Then you could wrap that around the rocket. That could then be easily painted. I mighty try that myself.

I think that this is what would be needed to control the rocket: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... Twin_.html

If only a smaller version could be made...

[Nick B]

Another thing to consider when building scale replicas of the real thing is that real rockets are typically designed to be actively stabilized usually by steering their nozzles, but for water rockets you need to modify the design to be passively stable which usually involves either bigger fins, changing the length and/or a heavier nosecone. I guess that's part of the fun of building a replica - making it fly properly. Pyro rocket guys have similar problems when building scale versions.

- George

Very true.

It would be near impossible to get a rocket replica to fly with the teenie tiny fins that real rockets use, along with srs thrusters.

[Nick B]

Funny you should mention that. We are currently working up a '"heavy lift" type rocket similar to the SLS or Falcon Heavy. Not promising extreme scale detail but it should at least resemble it.

interesting.


I am considering fabing up some t nozzles to mimic the Falcon 9 engine config. for amusement purposes.

[Nick B]

[
http://fuzeao.free.fr/fus_exemple_ariane.htm

Yikes.


All that beautiful detail, and a schrader valve/cork launcher....

[bugwubber]

The creativity shown here is amazing. Hey I see someone else built a 5x launcher!

http://www.teaser.fr/%7Emzirnheld/japon ... /fuseo.htm

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

Hello everyone, I am new, but I have noticed something disappointing about water rockets; they are very unrealistic. I was wondering if anyone out there has created a successful water rocket that looks somewhat like a real rocket. Bonus to anyone who know of one that looks like a soyuz! Also, if possible, I would like some photos of said water rocket.

What do you mean? Most water rockets look a great deal like the "real" rockets that Goddard made!